SCHATZ FINALLY FINDS VICTORY LANE AT OHSWEKEN SPEEDWAY

by Tommy Goudge (August 1, 2010) – Donny Schatz had finished second on three occasions in previous years, and third on Friday night in his fourth career start at Ohsweken Speedway. The Fargo, North Dakota driver finally climbed to the top step of the podium on Sunday by leading every lap of the World of Outlaws “Six Nations Showdown” feature. The Mod-Lite Stars Championship Tour North drivers were also at the track, and Paul Klager drove from last on the grid to win that feature.

WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CARS

Tony Stewart Racing team-mates Donny Schatz and Steve Kinser began the thirty lap “Six Nations Showdown” feature on the front row, and Schatz took the early lead. Lucas Wolfe brought out a caution flag on lap three when he spun to a stop off turn three, relinquishing sixth place. Schatz held serve out front on the restart, while Kinser hung onto second, and former Ohsweken winners Jason Sides and Jason Meyers made their way towards the top five.

The caution flag flew again on lap eight when Ben Gregg spun in turn three. Gregg went to the work area to replace a shock absorber and returned to the rear of the field for the restart, but more trouble struck when Craig Dollansky came to a stop in turn two. World of Outlaws officials determined on that restart that Jason Sides had accelerated too soon and he was docked two positions for the next restart.

Schatz again opened his lead on the restart, but Steve Kinser found traction on the low side of the track and cut into that lead, especially in traffic. Schatz led all the way to the finish though, while Kinser lost the second spot to Joey Saldana on lap twenty-one. Schatz cruised to the win more than one second ahead of runner-up Joey Saldana, while Steve Kinser, Paul McMahan, and Jason Meyers rounded out the top five.

“If you just keep knocking at the door, eventually someone will let you in,” said Schatz in victory lane. “I had an awesome race car. We’ve always had a blast coming here to race at Ohsweken, and Canada’s been good to me all the way around whether it’s Alberta or Ontario, or even Quebec, so I’m just glad to be here. It was a great race.”

“The fun part about this race track is you can feel good in your race car, and you kinda get the confidence to throw something at it, just to try something off the wall,” said Schatz of his Dash race win which put him on the front row of the feature. “We did that in the Dash and it actually was really good. It maybe didn’t feel that good in the car, but it was driving right and going forward, so you just have to take things into consideration and sometimes I have to change my driving style.

“I guess I felt too good there and I got too confident,” said Schatz of the team’s pre-feature preparations. “We probably could have made some more adjustments in the feature. We learned from it, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to be back, so we can apply it next time we come.”

Joey Saldana and his crew worked hard all night, and were rewarded with a second place finish.

“Donny’s good on these kinds of tracks, and I’ve been struggling lately,” said Saldana, the World of Outlaws series points leader. “To be in the front two with these guys is a good effort. With all the rain, who would have thought we’d have a track this nice and this smooth. It’s a great effort by Ohsweken both nights of racing, and thanks to the fans staying out – on a Sunday I know that’s tough.”

Heat races for the thirty-four car field were claimed by Danny Lasoski, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Jason Sides, and Chad Kemenah, while Rick Wilson got the B-Main win, Donny Schatz was victorious in the Dash, and Jason Meyers was fastest in time trials with a lap of 12.875 seconds.

The event was postponed by rain on Saturday night, and run on Sunday’s rain date instead, with a good crowd of dedicated fans looking on. The World of Outlaws series also raced at Ohsweken on Friday night, when Jason Sides got his third career feature win in four tries at the Styres-owned facility.

MOD-LITE STARS CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR NORTH

Blair Young and Scott Billing shared the front row for Sunday’s twenty lap Mod-Lite affair, but all eyes were on the action deep in the pack. A full inversion was used to line up the feature field, meaning multiple time Ohsweken feature winner Paul Klager started eighteenth on the grid. He did not stay there long.

Rick Brubacher made big gains early on after starting seventeenth, while Randy Hollingshead, Brad Fuller, and Korey Howe also made their ways into the top five fight after starting deep in the field. Klager would eventually make his way into the lead and take the win, but Hollingshead kept pace and got a few shots at getting into the lead before settling for second.

Korey Howe finished third, followed by Brad Fuller and Jordan Curran. The only major incident for the Mod-Lites came when Josh Sliter wound up on his roof exiting turn two. Sliter was uninjured, and his #17 machine suffered only cosmetic damage.

“They did a complete invert, and I hope it was a good show,” said Mod-Lite tour points leader Klager afterwards. “I love this place. I’d love to move up to a Sprint Car and try it, and these (Mod-Lites) are fun here.”

“I think (Paul) had just that little bit more,” said runner-up Hollingshead. “We’d gain on him a couple times, but just not enough coming off turn four.”

Heat races for the nineteen car field were claimed by Paul Klager and Derek Moore. The Mod-Lite Stars Championship Tour North returns to Ohsweken for their third and final appearance of 2010 on Friday, August 27.

NEXT UP AT OHSWEKEN
Rochester Knighthawks present the annual Art Hill Memorial 42 for ESSO Mini Stocks this Friday, August 6. Corr/Pak Merchandising Sprints, ESSO Thunder Stocks, ESSO Mini Stocks, Bombers, Chain Races, and the second annual Hot Dog Eating Championship are also all part of round eight of Friday Night Thunder this week. Adult general admission is just ten dollars, and gates open at 6:00 with racing starting at 7:45!